For thirteen years, the disappearance of Brittanee Drexel was the ghost story of Myrtle Beach. You probably remember the photo: a 17-year-old girl with a bright smile, blue-tinted contacts, and that distinctive blonde hair, caught on a grainy hotel security camera. It was April 25, 2009. She was walking out of the Blue Water Resort into the humid South Carolina night, and then, basically, she just vanished.
The story had everything that keeps people up at night. A secret trip. A mother’s premonition. A sudden silence. For over a decade, the case was buried under a mountain of "true crime" theories that were honestly more like horror movies than reality. People talked about human trafficking rings, "stash houses," and—most famously—the terrifying claim that she’d been tossed into a swamp full of alligators.
But the truth, which finally came out in 2022 and saw more legal closures in 2025, was much more grounded and much more predatory.
The Night Everything Went Wrong in Myrtle Beach
Brittanee wasn't even supposed to be in South Carolina. Her mom, Dawn, had told her no. But Brittanee went anyway, tagging along with a group of older friends for spring break. On her final night, she walked about a mile and a half from her hotel to visit a friend, Peter Brozowitz, at another resort.
At 8:45 p.m., she left his room. She was texting her boyfriend back in Rochester. Then, at 9:15 p.m., the texts stopped. No "goodnight," no "talk later." Just a digital dead end.
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For years, investigators were looking at the wrong people. They looked at the friends. They looked at the nightclub promoter. They even spent years chasing a lead from a jailhouse informant named Taquan Brown, who told a wild story about Brittanee being kidnapped by a man named Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor and fed to gators. That story was everywhere. It made national headlines and ruined lives, but it turned out to be totally fake.
The Real Suspect: Raymond Moody
It wasn’t a trafficking syndicate. It was a monster hiding in plain sight. Raymond Moody, a registered sex offender who lived in the area, was the one who actually crossed paths with Brittanee that night.
In 2022, investigators finally got the break they needed. Tech caught up with the crime. By using advanced cell phone data and timing it with surveillance footage of vehicles, police narrowed down the exact moment Brittanee’s phone went from "walking speed" to "vehicle speed." That led them straight to Moody’s SUV.
Moody eventually confessed. He didn't just grab her; he lured her. According to court records and his own admission, he and his girlfriend at the time, Angel Cooper Vause, spotted Brittanee walking alone. They offered her a ride—or, as Moody later claimed, offered her marijuana—and she got in the car.
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They drove her 35 miles south to a remote campsite in Georgetown County. What happened next is the stuff of nightmares. Moody raped and strangled her. He then buried her body in a shallow grave in the woods.
The Role of Angel Cooper Vause
This is the part that still makes people's skin crawl. Angel Vause wasn't just a bystander. In early 2025, the legal system finally caught up with her, too. Federal prosecutors revealed that she helped lure Brittanee into the vehicle. She was there. She watched as a child was kidnapped.
Vause lied to the FBI for over 13 years. She sat on the secret while Dawn Drexel moved to South Carolina, living every day in the shadow of her daughter’s disappearance. In February 2025, Vause was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for her role in the obstruction and the lies that kept Brittanee's remains hidden for a decade.
Why the Alligator Story Persisted
You’ve gotta wonder why the police spent so much time on the "alligator pit" theory. Honestly, when a case goes cold, the vacuum is filled with whatever the loudest voice says. A prison informant wanted a deal, so he told a story that sounded "South Carolina" enough to be believable.
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It highlights a massive problem in missing persons cases: the noise. While the FBI was searching swamps and dragging ponds based on a lie, Raymond Moody was just living his life.
Key Facts About the Conviction:
- Raymond Moody: Pleaded guilty in October 2022. He’s serving life plus 60 years. No parole.
- Angel Cooper Vause: Sentenced to 18 years in 2025 for lying to investigators.
- The Recovery: Brittanee’s remains were found in May 2022 in a wooded area off Highway 17.
- The Settlement: In 2024, a jury awarded the Drexel family $700 million in a civil suit against Moody and the resorts, though actually collecting that money from a guy in prison is a different story.
What Most People Get Wrong
People still think Brittanee was snatched off the street by a gang. She wasn't. She was lured by a couple who looked "safe" enough to a teenager who was likely tired, lost, or just looking for a way back to her hotel.
Also, the "friends" she was with? They’ve been cleared of involvement in the murder, but the tension between them and the Drexel family was real. Brittanee was reportedly being bullied by some of the girls on that trip. It’s a reminder that being in a vulnerable social situation can lead to making risky decisions, like walking alone at night in a city you don't know.
Actionable Takeaways for Travel Safety
The disappearance of Brittanee Drexel changed how people look at Myrtle Beach, but the lessons are universal. If you're traveling, especially as a young person or with teens, keep these things in mind:
- The "Check-In" Isn't Enough: Brittanee was texting the whole time. It didn't save her. What saves you is a "no-walk-alone" rule after dark, no matter how close the destination is.
- Trust the "Bad Feeling": Dawn Drexel had a premonition. We call it "mother's intuition," but it's often just a brain picking up on red flags we can't name yet.
- Tech is a Double-Edged Sword: Your phone tracks you, which is great for solving the crime later, but it doesn't prevent it. Use "Share My Location" with someone who is actually in the same city as you.
- Beware the "Helpful" Couple: Predatory men often use women to seem less threatening. This is a common tactic in luring.
The search for Brittanee is over, and the pursuit of justice has mostly reached its finish line. For those who follow these cases, it serves as a sobering reminder that the most sensational theories are usually wrong—the truth is often just a predator who found a window of opportunity.
To stay safe during spring break or any coastal travel, always use a ride-share service rather than walking alone on major strips, and ensure your group has a "leave together, stay together" pact that is strictly enforced.